Karnataka Irrigation Minister Cheluvarayaswamy has said the state is aiming to lay the foundation stone for the proposed Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery by August 2027. He made the remarks in Mandya, stating that steps are being taken to speed up the project.
According to the minister, a detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared and forwarded to the Union government. He said the project would require about 12,500 acres of land, while the state has identified around 20,000 acres.
Cheluvarayaswamy said a permanent solution to the Cauvery issue was needed and that the Mekedatu dam should be built for that purpose. He added that officials from technical and legal wings would work persistently to implement the project.
To monitor progress on a daily basis, two irrigation officials have been appointed in Delhi, he said, adding that work has been accelerated with the August 2027 foundation target.
On water releases, the minister said rainfall was expected to continue till the end of the month and that the KRS reservoir could fill up by September. He said the state was not claiming it would hold back water from Tamil Nadu, noting that inflows were higher even when an order was issued to release 3,500 cusecs, and that a release of 12,000 cusecs had now been directed, including 1,000 cusecs from Kabini.
